Just a little post to wish you a happy September!
“Making your Christmas cake in September is perfect, as too fresh a cake crumbles when cut.” ―Mary Berry
“By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer.”
― Helen Hunt Jackson
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.
I hope you had a great week!
Bank Holiday, son’s hospital appointment and rewatching The Avengers collection! This was basically my week!
I still can’t see out my eye and have another appointment on 5th September to find out if I need another op. That’s also my sons first day back to school, which he is not looking forward to!
🎧 Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (reread)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Damned by Genevieve Cogman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my reviews soon!
Review – Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
Review – Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu
Calendar – September
Feature – Stacking the Shelves: August
Review – Damned by Genevieve Cogman
What have you read lately?
Title: Heavenly Bodies
Series: Heavenly Bodies #1
Author: Imani Erriu
“I defy the stars.”
In a world where no entities exist but the Stars, cruel and merciless gods that watch over the world, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy that promises she will fall for a Star, and it will kill them both.
But when one descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s Kingdom, she is forced to flee into the arms of her enemy in the neighbouring country.
As she learns more about her own magic, and the depth of the Stars’ deceit, she also finds herself learning more about the country she is forced to take refuge in, and the enemy prince forced to train her into a weapon.
Something dark brews within her, a power made of night and shadows that begs to be broken free.
I heard so much about this book, so was excited to read!
Elara has lost everything, her parents and her kingdom, escaping from a horrible star who has wreaked havoc because of a prophecy. She is ‘captured’ by an enemy Kingdom who need her to help get rid of the stars and she starts training with Prince Lorenzo, aka Enzo.
~ Enemies to lovers
~ Who did this to you vibes
~ Strong leading lady
~ Absolutely charismatic leading man
~ Morally grey characters
~ Evil stars/gods
~ Banter
~ Twists and turns
I really liked Elara and Enzo together. They are completely honest with each other from the start, and I was here for that! Enzo cannot help but flirt with anyone, but he soon gets serious about Elara! I absolutely loved them and their romance.
I really did love the side characters, especially Leo and Merissa but the pacing did feel a bit all over the place in some parts and I did feel like the story could’ve been cut down a bit.
I did love the ending and can’t wait to see some vendetta’s unleashed in book 2!!!
Sound like something you’d like?
Title: Warrior Princess Assassin
Series: Braided Fate #1
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.
PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous secret: her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she’s deceiving him?
ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.
Book read in 1 sitting because I was so glued to it = complete.
‘Love is the fiercest weapon.’
Warrior – King Ky
Princess – Jory
Assassin – Asher
All thrown together with friendship, a betrothal and an assassination plot.
Political machinations, secrets, alliances, heartbreaking moments and anticipation/tension. Delish!
I started to realise something halfway through. OMG what. Can it be? The anticipation to see if I am right! I AM RIGHT AND WHEN IT HAPPENS IT WAS SO HOT! (Sorry, totally cryptic!)
Perfection. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Sound like something you’d like?
Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Topic: Non-bookish Freebie
The number of stationery items I own!
And mostly don’t use, I hoard like a dragon! And yes, I did count them!
In my defence, I also use all of the below in my work life as well (I work mostly from home, so need to provide my own!)
Notebooks/pads – 45
Pens (writing) – 154 (I’m so sad)
Pencils – 62
Tabs (sets of) – 32
Highlighters – 26
To do list pads – 16
Coloured pens – 74
Sticky notes – 15 (packs of 4!)
Folders – 120
Recipe pads – 1 (!)
I may have a problem!
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.
I hope you had a great week!
A week of eyedrops for me! I thought my eye was getting better, but I had a follow-up appointment on Friday, and the hospital said I have a bleed behind my eye. They gave me the choice of waiting for 2 weeks to see if my vision gets better (which means the bleed has stopped) or another surgery, so I chose to wait because eye surgery is absolutely vile!
2 audiobooks read this week – an arc and a book club read!
🎧 Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my reviews soon!
Review – The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
Review – Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon
Review – Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
Review – Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu
What have you read lately?
Title: Tusk Love
Author: Thea Guanzon
As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure.
Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack.
Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise.
Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance.
I loved this story, it was so cute, cozy and fun!
Guinevere is on the road to meet her betrothed but gets set upon by bandits….and saved by half-orc, Oskar.
‘It is my duty to marry well. Father writes that Lord Wensleydale is not too old and has all his teeth.’
From there, Oskar takes Guin to deliver her safely to her new man……..
Guinivere is just so sweet. She’s caught between duty to her family and the fact that her eyes have been opened to what could be.
Oskar is The Man. I love him and his dirty talk!
As I said, I loved this, it was full of action, was saucy and ONE BEEEEEEEED!!!!!
Sound like something you’d like?
Title: The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy
Series: Dearly Beloathed #1
Author: Brigitte Knightley
Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, is in dire need of healing. Naturally – such is the grim comedy of fate – the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy Order.
Aurienne is desperate for funding to heal the sick – so desperate that, when Osric bribes her to help him, she accepts, even if she detests him and everything he stands for.
A forced collaboration ensues: the brilliant Woman in STEM is coerced into working with the PhD in Murders, much to Aurienne’s disgust. As Osric and Aurienne work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious reoccurrence of a deadly pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.
I listened to the audiobook, and this will be a smaller review as I’ve just had an eye op but wanted to leave something!
Two characters from different ends of the scale, Aurienne the healer and Osric the killer, are thrown together for a miracle (not a cure), but an immunisation!
‘He tilted his head so that his cheekbone caught the light. His cleft chin clefted majestically. Who wouldn’t want to heal this?’
The story and the writing were hilarious, and it called to my dark, dry humour on a massive level!
‘Lovely outfit said Osric. Crime scene chic.
Thank you said Tristane. It has pockets.’
The banter, the quick wit, and the name calling (ganglion being my fave) made me laugh out loud in some parts! Special note to the springs/baths part!
If someone could tell me two things: when is book 2 and where can I get a critique cricket?!
Sound like something you’d like?
Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Topic: Books with a High Page Count
Because I’ve basically stopped reading contemporary romance (and there is no excuse for one of those to be over 350 pages), I’ve chosen either romantasy or SFF books that I’ve read that are chonks!
Sinners Playground by Caroline Peckham- 625 pages
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – 648 pages
Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson – 656 pages
Elancer by Jane Washington – 658 pages
The Blackbird Oracle by Deborah Harkness – 672 pages
Glow by Raven Kennedy – 688 pages
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff – 721 pages
Obsidio by Jay Kristoff – 721 pages
Crescent City House of Earth and Blood by SJM – 803 pages
Kingdom of Ash by SJM – 980 pages
Have you read any of these?
CJRTB Books 